Agility
Agility is a sport involving different obstacles to be completed in a specific pattern or course by the dog with speed and accuracy. It is the job of the handler to direct the dog efficiently throughout. Not only is it a lot of fun but it can improve confidence in the dog and a build the relationship between dog and handler.
Agility is open to all breeds and mixes as long as they are of sound body and mind. The Agility Association of Canada is the largest organization for the sport in this country.
I started competing in agility in 1999 with my dog Chase. He had many fear issues as a puppy and I do believe that agility helped him to become a much more trusting and confident dog. Chase was never a really driven dog in the sport so he did teach me a lot about finding what motivates individual dogs and using that to train. With us both being involved in a bad car accident in 2004, Chase was retired from the sport.
When I got Zephyr I had no idea how different he would be as an agility partner. Not only does he have the motivation but the speed! My biggest challenge was getting where I needed to be fast enough to direct him properly! We qualified for the National level, all four years that we ran in the Ontario regionals. At Nationals we have had placements in individual classes. We have competed and placed in the Canada Cup. We also qualified three out of four times for the Steeplechase finals at the Ontario regionals and placed too! I retired Zephyr at 12 1/2 years old from agility in 2014.
My dog Zen is now competing and I look forward to finally stepping up the number of trials in 2017. She is a very different dog to run from my first two dogs being the most intense and fast and difficult to handle! She is putting me through the paces as a trainer and handler.
I have a new dog named Timber who came to me as an adult. I am slowly teaching him agility skills along with everyday skills.
I look forward to sharing my love of the sport and my experience with training different dogs with the agility lessons I will be teaching during the months of May-October outdoors in Flamborough and through the winter at Scholars in Collars in Burlington. As much as I do compete and strive to give everyone a good solid foundation classes really are geared for fun and learning.
Erin Crossman Phone# 905-317-8003